Deep litter in brooder ?

[Amyh]

I have decided to do the deep litter method for the first time in my brooder with three baby chicks. The chicks are messy and they seem to spill a lot of feed and water, so the pine shavings are mixed with food and a little damp to the touch in places. Is this okay? I feel like it might breed disease in this heat, so I'm tempted to just clean it and start fresh every few days...

Thoughts?

 

[gryeyes]

Well, it works best if you use a nipple watering system, so there's no spillage. The feed isn't an issue; that gives chicks something to scratch in the litter for!

If you don't want to go to a nipple watering system, or in the interim until you DO, put the waterer up on a brick. There will be less litter kicked into it, less spillage. Then you just scoop out the damp part near the waterer and add more litter, periodially.

 

[CorporateGranola]

It's my understanding the the deep litter method is primarily for a coop with an earthen floor. We plan on doing the same thing - but in the brooder (kiddie pool with pine shavings) we just "stir the pot" once or twice a day to mix things up and prevent the girls from laying in their own poo.

http://smallfarm.about.com/od/farmanimals/a/deeplitter.htm

EDIT: Added link